USS Brule (AKL-28)

Last updated
USS Brule (AKL-28)
USS Brule (AKL-28) anchored in South Vietnamese waters, 27 September 1966 (USN 1118482).jpg
USS Brule anchored in South Vietnam, September 1966
History
Flag of the United States.svgUnited States
NameBrule
Namesake Brulé subdivision of the Sioux Indians.
BuilderSturgeon Bay Shipbuilding Co.
Laid downDecember 1943
In service1944
Out of serviceUnknown
Motto"Service - Our Mission for Freedom"
Honors and
awards		12 Vietnam Campaign Stars
FateSold to South Korea, 1974
General characteristics
Displacement550 tons
Length177 ft (54 m)
Beam33 ft (10 m)
Draft10 ft (3.0 m)
Propulsiontwo 500 hp (370 kW) GM Cleveland Division 6-278A 6 cyl V6 diesel engines
Speed13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph)
Complement5 officers, 43 enlisted
Armament Browning M2 12.7 mm heavy machine guns [1]

USS Brule (AKL-28) was a U.S. Army Design 381-A Coastal Freighter of the United States Navy and later the South Korean Navy that saw service during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.

Contents

Ship history

Brule was laid down in December 1943 for the U.S. Army as Small Freighter FS-370. During construction, she was redesignated as a Produce Freighter, FP-370. She was delivered to the U.S. Army in July 1944.

International radio call sign of
USS Brule (AKL-28)
ICS November.svg ICS Quebec.svg ICS Delta.svg ICS Romeo.svg
NovemberQuebecDeltaRomeo

World War II

Brule carried provisions to advanced bases occupied by the Army, from Hawaii to the Marshall Islands. In 1945, the ship came under Japanese aircraft attack near the Marinas and received damage and casualties. The crew managed to run the ship aground in shallow water, to prevent sinking. The ship was later re-floated and repaired.

In July 1946, she was used during Operation Crossroads to tow the USS Brule (APA-66) for nuclear weapons testing. She would later bear the same name.

Korean War

On 1 July 1950, Brule was placed into service by the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) as U.S.N.S. T-AKL-28. On 5 September 1952, T-AKL-28 was named U.S.N.S. Brule (T-AKL-28).

On 31 October 1952, she was accepted by the U.S. Navy at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and placed in commission as U.S.S. Brule (AKL-28). After completion of training, the Brule proceeded to Guam where on 31 January 1953 she reported to Commander, Service Division 51. Between February 1953 and December 1955, she transported cargo throughout the Pacific. On 31 December 1955, the division was decommissioned and Brule reported to Commander Naval Forces Marianas. On 25 November 1956, Brule proceeded to Subic Bay, beginning a long lengthy career as a shuttle vessel between Subic and Sangley Point. [2]

Vietnam War

On September 1, 1965, Brule was re-commissioned for service in the Vietnam War. On 4 January 1966, after weeks of training in the Philippines, Brule set sail for the Republic of Vietnam. In 1968, the Brule sustained seven rocket hits while on one of her normal runs. Despite extensive damage to the superstructure and electrical cabling, Brule suppressed the enemy fire and proceeded on schedule. Her crew reported; “ship and crew ready to haul cargo or fight and not necessarily in that order.” [3]

Ships fate

Brule was decommissioned on 1 November 1971 at Chinhae, South Korea, and loaned to the South Korean Navy as ROKS Ulsan (AKL-910). She was sold outright on 15 November 1974 and struck from the Naval Register. She has since been decommissioned from South Korean naval service. Her fate is unknown. [4]

Ship awards

U.S.S. BRULE ribbon bar.jpg

Combat Action Ribbon with service star Navy Unit Commendation
American Campaign Medal Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal
Navy Occupation Service Medal National Defense Service Medal with service star Vietnam Service Medal with 12 campaign stars
Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Technical research ship</span> Type of intelligence-gathering ship

Technical research ships were used by the United States Navy during the 1960s to gather intelligence by monitoring, recording and analyzing wireless electronic communications of nations in various parts of the world. At the time these ships were active, the mission of the ships was covert and discussion of the true mission was prohibited. The mission of the ships was publicly given as conducting research into atmospheric and communications phenomena. Their designation was AGTR – Auxiliary, General, Technical Research – but it was more or less an open secret that this was a euphemism and they were commonly referred to as "spy ships".

USS <i>Luzerne County</i> U.S. Naval ship built during World War II

USS Luzerne County (LST-902) was an LST-542-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named after Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

USS <i>Mercer</i> (APL-39)

The second USS Mercer is an Benewah-class barracks ship of the United States Navy. Originally classified as Barracks Craft APL 39, the ship was reclassified as Self-Propelled Barracks Ship APB 39 on 7 August 1944. Laid down on 24 August 1944 by Boston Navy Yard, and launched on 17 November 1944 as APB 39, sponsored by Mrs. Lillian Gaudette, the ship was named Mercer, after counties in eight states, on 14 March 1945, and commissioned on 19 September 1945.

USS <i>Hampshire County</i>

USS Hampshire County (LST-819) was an LST-542-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for counties in Massachusetts and West Virginia, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

USS <i>Indra</i> Landing craft repair ship built for the United States Navy during World War II

USS Indra (ARL-37) was one of 39 Achelous-class landing craft repair ships built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for Indra, she was the only US Naval vessel to bear the name, and only one of three ships to be named after a Hindu deity.

USS <i>Estero</i> (AG-134) Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USS Estero (AG-134/AKL-5) was a Camano-class cargo ship in the United States Navy. She was named after Estero Island off the coast of Florida.

USS <i>Escambia</i> Oiler of the United States Navy

USS Escambia (AO-80) was the lead ship of her subclass of the Suamico class of fleet oilers acquired by the United States Navy for use during World War II. She had the dangerous, but necessary task of providing fuel to vessels in combat and non-combat areas primarily in the Pacific Ocean. For her valiant efforts, she received five battle stars during the war.

USS <i>Madera County</i> American tank landing ship

USS Madera County (LST-905) was a LST-542-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named after Madera County, California, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

USS <i>Vernon County</i> Tank landing ship in the US Navy

USS Vernon County (LST-1161) was a United States Navy, Terrebonne Parish-class tank landing ship in commission from 1953 to 1973. She saw extensive service in the Vietnam War before being transferred to the Venezuelan Navy, where she became Amazonas (T-21).

USS Camano (AG-130/AKL-1) was an Army Design 381 coastal freighter acquired by the United States Navy 16 July 1947 at Apra Harbor, Guam and became the lead ship of her class of cargo ship. She was configured as a Navy transport and cargo ship and operated with the U.S. Pacific Fleet until 1951, when she was turned over to the U.S. Department of the Interior.

USS Ryer (AG-138/AKL-9) was a Camano-class cargo ship constructed for the U.S. Army as the Freight and Supply Ship USA FS-361 shortly before the end of World War II. On delivery the ship was U.S. Coast Guard crewed and assigned to serve the Southwest Pacific area during the war. The ship was acquired by the U.S. Navy in 1947, configured as a transport and cargo ship, named and was Commissioned, Miscellaneous Auxiliary, USS Ryer (AG-138), 8 June 1947 and reclassified Light Cargo Ship, (AKL-9), 31 March 1949.

USS <i>Hewell</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USS Hewell (AG-145/AKL-14) was a Camano-class cargo ship constructed for the U.S. Army as FS-391 shortly before the end of World War II. FS-391 operated with a U.S. Coast Guard crew in the Southwest Pacific area. The ship was acquired by the U.S. Navy in 1948. She was configured as a transport and cargo ship and served with the U.S. Pacific Fleet – including highly decorated service during the Korean War – until decommissioned in 1955.

USS Hennepin (AK-187) was an Alamosa-class cargo ship that served the US Navy during the final months of World War II. Post-war she served briefly with the US Army as USAT Hennepin, and then as USNS Hennepin (T-AK-187) with the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) where she was awarded a battle star. She was declared excess-to-needs on 27 March 1959.

USS Herkimer (AK-188) was an Alamosa-class cargo ship that served the US Navy during the final months of World War II. Post-war she served in the Pacific Ocean theatre of operations for some time with the US Army as USAT Herkimer, and then as USNS Herkimer (T-AK-188), with the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) from 1950 to 1973. She was then transferred to the navy of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI).

USS <i>Whitfield County</i> United States Navy landing ship tank

USS Whitfield County (LST-1169), previously USS LST-1169, was a United States Navy landing ship tank (LST) in commission from 1954 to 1973 which saw service in the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Pacific and saw action in the Vietnam War.

USS Mark (AG-143), was built as the Aircraft Repair variant, Design 427, of the Army FS types as FS-214 for use by the United States Army. She was built at Higgins Industries, New Orleans, Louisiana, completed in December 1944. The ship was designed with the well deck covered to provide shop space for the work of repairing aircraft by an embarked Aircraft Maintenance Unit (Floating).

USNS <i>New Bedford</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USNS New Bedford (FS-289/AKL-17) was a Navy owned Military Sea Transportation Service civilian crewed Camano-class cargo ship originally constructed for the U.S. Army as the coastal freighter FS-289 shortly before the end of World War II.

USS <i>Tutuila</i> (ARG-4)

USS Tutuila (ARG-4) was a Luzon-class internal combustion engine repair ship that saw service in the United States Navy during World War II, The Korean War, and The Vietnam War as well as several smaller actions. Named for the Island of Tutuila, the largest and main island of American Samoa, it was the second US Naval vessel to bear the name. After serving for nearly 30 years Tutuila was sold to the Republic of China in 1972.

USS <i>Banner</i> (AKL-25)

The USS Banner was originally U.S. Army FS-345 serving in the Southwest Pacific during the closing days of World War II as one of the Army's United States Coast Guard crewed ships. In 1950 the ship was acquired by the Navy and converted into a light auxiliary cargo (AKL). In 1967 the ship was converted for electronic intelligence and reclassified as Auxiliary General Environmental Research (AGER).

USS <i>Nueces</i> Barracks ship of the United States Navy

USS Nueces (APB-40) is a Benewah-class barracks ship of the United States Navy. She was notable for her service in the Vietnam War.

References

PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships .

  1. ↑ "Craig Reynold's Photos – the Mobile Riverine Force Association". Mrfa.org.
  2. ↑ "Brule II (AKL-28)". NHHC. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  3. ↑ "Brule (AKL-28) – the Mobile Riverine Force Association". Mrfa.org.
  4. ↑ "USS BRULE (AKL 28)". Nvr.navy.mil. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.